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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · ruler · tear · wave · stand · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. tear — to rip
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tear — from crying
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com